Ask any Israeli how to get a job in Israel and they will tell you that connections and networking are a big factor. They might tell you a story about how they found out about a job through a friend of a friend, someone they served with in the army then pushed their CV to the top of the pile and when they got to the interview, they played Jewish geography and discovered that the interviewer was best friends with their former neighbor.
But what if you don’t know anyone in your field in Israel? What if you don’t have multiple relatives here and made aliyah after army age? Does this mean that your job prospects are doomed?
Of course not! Although some jobs are found through connections (what we Israelis call “protexia”) it’s also possible to find employment by applying the old fashioned way.
Here’s how to do it.
Create your Israeli CV
The first rule of thumb for an Israeli CV is to keep short and simple. Unless you’re in a specific industry where longer CVs are acceptable, keep yours to one page. Use bullet points and short sentences to describe your experience, starting with the most recent and working backwards. If you previously worked in a different field or in a job that’s not relevant to the one you are applying for, leave it off altogether, since it won’t help make your case.
Include your full name, phone numbers and email address. Some Israelis include their addresses on their CV but that opens up the possibility of potential employers thinking you live too far away or making assumptions about who you are based on where you live. It is not customary to include a picture and is no longer customary to add your marital/family status.
List your skills front and center, as they may not be obvious from your list of previous jobs. Include your education, but unless you are very young, don’t include where you went to high school.
Tailor each CV to the employer you are sending it to, emphasizing the skills and experience they will care about and de-emphasizing or excluding those which are less important. For instance, if you are applying for a teaching position, the fact that you are handy at using Word is not important, but if you are applying to be an office manager you want to include that and leave out your experience as a classroom teacher.
Search for job postings
Once you have a CV that’s market-ready, start looking for potential jobs. Social media is a great source of job postings. There are a number of Facebook and LinkedIn groups that are dedicated specifically to job posts.
Remember that if you can find jobs on social media, potential employers can find you there too, so ensure that all your profiles are professional looking. If your profile picture shows you drinking beer with your friends, now is the time to change that. Check that your LinkedIn accurately represents your skills and experience, as it effectively serves as a second resume.
There’s no shame in posting on your social media that you are looking for work. You can state that you have just made aliyah or that you are looking for your next challenge. The more people that know you are looking, the more likely that someone (sometimes even the most unexpected someone) will send a relevant job post your way.
Aside from groups that aggregate job posts, there may also be groups for professionals in your field. That’s a great way to find out about available jobs as well as connect with people in your industry.
Job postings can also be found on Israeli job boards. Nefesh B’Nefesh manages a job board specifically geared toward olim, including many positions that don’t require much, or any, Hebrew. You can also search job listings in English on the Janglo website. Search in Hebrew on sites such as Jobnet, Drushim and AllJobs.
Write a cover letter
Never send an email that just includes an attachment! Instead, write a cover letter and send it in your email to the employer or recruiter. Don’t make the cover letter part of the file with your CV, send it directly in the email. A good cover letter is no more than four or five lines and stresses which skills and experience make you perfect for this specific job.
If you know the name of the person who will be reading this letter, start with Dear [first name] to personalize your message. If you don’t, leave off the salutation. Do not write “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To whom it may concern.”
Consider using an AI tool such as ChatGPT to improve your cover letter. Write a draft and then run it through AI software to make it even better. Don’t forget to check it for mistakes (they do occasionally happen) and tweak it if it comes out a little bit too generic.
Proofread your CV and cover letter
Before sending, proofread, then proofread and proofread again. Even better, ask a few friends to look over your CV and cover letter before you send them. Typos and grammatical mistakes make you look sloppy, and if you are applying for a position in which language is important (like teaching, sales or marketing), mistakes are even more off-putting. Pay attention to the tenses as well. Choose either past or present but don’t zigzag between the two. You don’t want your CV thrown away because it didn’t look professional!
Follow up
Immediately after applying, send an email or LinkedIn message to the recruiter to check that your CV was received and to reiterate your interest in the position. The first reason to do this is because most companies have bots filtering the CVs before they even reach the recruiter, so it’s possible that your CV was never actually seen by a human being. The second reason is that this will help you stand out. Most people never follow up, so when you reach out to the recruiter you demonstrate your drive and determination.
Job searching is not like dating
You don’t have to see where one job application goes before applying to another. In fact, the more jobs you apply to, the better your chances of getting called for an interview and getting the job. Devote a certain part of each day to reviewing the job listings and applying to whichever jobs seem relevant.
Sometimes job posts will add requirements that they might be flexible on for the right candidate. They might prefer to hire someone with 3-5 years experience but your skills and two years might just be enough to impress them. They might list proficiencies in certain technologies but be willing to train you in the one you don’t know, if everything else seems right. So be bold and apply even if you don’t meet every single one of the requirements.
Be aware that the opposite is true as well. If you are overqualified for the job (for example, the ad asks for 2-3 years of experience and you have 10), don’t be surprised if you don’t get a response to your application. That’s because the recruiter wants to hire someone less qualified and pay them a lower salary. He knows that even if you compromise on a lower salary in order to get that first Israeli job, you won’t be satisfied with the compensation for long and won’t stay in the job for the long haul.
Give networking a chance
If you’re seriously looking for a job, there’s no reason to stick to just one method. Cold applications certainly have their place, but it’s also a good idea to start networking. Even if you don’t get your next job through a connection, you never know when that network will come in handy. Connect to people in your field or related fields on social media and at in-person meetups. One-on-one coffees with relevant connections and attendance at general networking events will create that community that will help you further your career. And you might even make some new friends! Check out our article on How to Build a Network in Israel for more information on how to do this well.
Job searching is a little bit like dating
There is one similarity between job searching and dating – you only need one to work out. That right job is out there somewhere. It might take a little while and some effort to find it, but perseverance pays off in the end.